One to Buy: 1 of 14 special order 1995 Porsche 911 3.6 Turbo Cabriolet (993) (SOLD)
One of the most infrequently seen Porsches - even among the rarefied world of 90’s Porsche Exclusive creations - is the 993-based Turbo Cabriolet of which a mere 14 were completed after a special order from the boss of Porsche’s most successful dealer in Germany: Fritz Haberl of Munich-based MAHAG.
Soon after the 993 Cabriolet was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1994, Haberl met with Porsche executives to discuss the possibility of a limited edition turbocharged version. At this stage the proper twin turbo 993 was still on the drawing board.
The quoted price for each unit was DM264,000 compared to DM112,000 for a standard 993 Cabriolet and Haberl had to order at least ten cars. Of the 14 eventually completed, five were right-hand drive.
Each car started life as standard 993 Cabriolet bodyshell which was fitted with the single turbo Type M64/50 engine plus the brakes and 17-inch Cup wheels from the outgoing 964 3.6 Turbo. A distinctive body coloured rear spoiler came from the latest 964 Turbo S.
One of these 993 Turbo Cabriolets is set to go under the hammer with RM Sotheby’s at their Monterey auction on August 18th. Chassis 338503 was originally delivered to its first Essen-based owner in December 1994 having been configured in the handsome colour scheme of Midnight Blue paint with matching upholstery.
Now showing a little over 96,000km, this extremely rare iteration of the forced induction 993 is expected to realise between $1m and $1.5m.
Reprinted blow is RM Sotheby’s description:
Estimate: USD $1m - $1.5m
Chassis No.: WP0ZZZ99ZSS338503
Documents: US Title
One of only 14 special order 993 Turbo Cabriolets produced
Desirably finished in Midnight Blue Metallic over Midnight Blue Leather
Factory equipped with attractive 17-inch Cup wheels
Includes tool kit, factory books with leather pouch, and original vehicle identification card
The first 993 Turbo Cabriolet offered at auction in the United States
Offered from the Todd Blue Porsche Collection
Porsche has always been amenable to creating special road cars for its favored clients; such orders were normally directed to the Porsche Exclusive Department, formerly known as the Special Wishes office. There, for an often-considerable price, would be crafted automobiles that fell outside what might be considered normal production parameters; in other words, these were “bespoke” automobiles with hand-selected features.
Here is one such example, from a group—no more than 14 units—of 993-series cabriolets from model year 1995 ordered by Kaspar Haberl’s MAHAG Porsche distributorship in Munich. Their VINs open the door to something far out of the ordinary; you will not find them listed among the most commonly referenced Porsche databases. In fact, Porsche never offered this specific variant in an official sense.
The company had not officially produced a 911 Turbo in cabriolet form since the demise of the G-series 3.3 in 1989. The 993 Turbo cabriolet website notes that with the 964 Turbo model out of production and no 993 turbo package in the offing until at least 1995, the only possibility for a customer who demanded one was to have a car built to order—always a costly proposition. That is where Haberl entered the picture. After seeing the gracefully styled 993 cabriolet at its introduction in Geneva in 1994, Haberl approached Porsche management to pitch the idea of a limited-edition Turbo version. Porsche agreed, if Haberl would agree to purchase at least 12 cars, which would of course reduce the per-unit price. Haberl did not blink; the order was quickly confirmed and work began at Porsche Exclusive.
Plugging the M64/50 3.6 Turbo engine and associated G50/52 five-speed transmission from the 1994 964 Turbo into a 1995 993 was not as simple as it might seem; there were numerous differences in the new convertible’s rear-quarter sheet metal, both internal and external, from that of a Turbo coupe. However, anything can be accomplished by skilled engineers and craftsmen, especially with enough room on the bottom line. In this case, installing the 360-horsepower single-turbo flat-six, the stronger manual transmission with rear-wheel drive, the widened Turbo bodywork and rear deck spoiler of the 964 3.6 Turbo S, bumped the price of these hybridized cabriolets to a breathtaking DM 264,000, a premium of DM 112,000 over the price of a standard 993 cabriolet.
The example offered here completed production on 19 December 1994 and was first registered in Essen, Germany on 23 December 1994, according to its original vehicle identification card. The Turbo Cabriolet left the factory as it is today, finished in Midnight Blue Metallic with a Dark Blue soft-top over a Midnight Blue Leather interior with Midnight Blue carpets. It came well equipped with 17-inch Cup wheels, heated and power-operated front seats, lumbar support for the driver’s seat, Porsche CR-10 radio cassette player, remote six-disc CD changer, Digital Sound Package, eight-CD console storage, onboard computer, air conditioning, and a wind deflector.
Checking the boxes of being an exceptionally rare blue Porsche, collector Todd Blue purchased this Turbo Cabriolet for his Porsche collection and imported it to the United States. It has been well loved over the years showing 96,200 kilometers (57,539 miles) on the odometer at time of cataloguing and is now offered with a tool kit, factory books with leather pouch, and original vehicle identification card. The first example offered at auction in the United States, the 993 Turbo Cabriolet is ideal for the Porsche collector looking to stand out from the pack.
